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glass info:what does the word *lampwork* mean?
Lampwork is a name
for a antique style of glasswork. The flame of a oil lamp is
stoked with a air bellows to focus heat and melt glass. The glass
is held in the open flame and shaped into small objects such
as beads, marbles, and sculptures. Many ancient shapes and designs
are honored and crafted by today's artists. Gas torches with specialized
burner heads have replaced the oil lamps of days gone by but
the fascination that accompanies the melting of glass remains
and the name *Lampworking* is a reminder that this highly refined
craft has a very old and basic origin.where does the glass come from?
The glass I use at
Mother Earth is a popular and widely distributed glass known
as *Moretti* glass. This glass is manufactured in Venice, Italy
on the island of Murano by Effettre Moretti Industrial. Moretti
Glass is provided to lampwork artists in the shape of glass rods.
The rods are easily spun in the flame which helps evenly distribute
the heat. The Effettre company
and the island of Murano share a long traditon of Venitian glass
manufacturing. The island has been officially designated as an
industrial center for glass work since AD 1291. A close relationship
between Artists, Glass Manufacturers, and Merchants has enabled
Venice to serve as a world leader in the glass arts since the
1500's. Many of the reciepes,
processes, and raw materials used to create Moretti glass rods
are closely guarded secrets handed down over generations. The
color in beads made from Murano glass of the 16th century is
as bright today as when the beads were made. It is nice to know
the beads you see today will be bright and clear in the future
as well. A benifit to todays artists is the freedom that years
of testing and refinement provide as more combinations of color
and style are possible than than ever before. Lampwork artists throughout
the world continue a great Venitian glass working tradition when
they choose Moretti glass. do beads really last for centuries?
Yes! Glass
beads are known to last for hundreds, even thousands of years.
A remarkable characteristic of glass is that it retains color
better than almost any other art material. The glass I use has
been manufactured in Murano, Italy for centuries and is proven
to hold finish, lustre, and color with no special storage requirements.
Oil paintings and antique metal work are far more fragile. The round shape of
most beads is inherently strong and I strengthen the beads by
annealling them in a kiln. The annealing process involves reheating
the bead slowly and keeping it hot in a near molten state long
enough for any tension or stress, trapped as the bead was formed,
to self-adjust and even out. The beads are cooled very slowly.
The annealling process takes about 9 hours but the beads become
much stronger. The beads I offer
are hand made and professionally annealled, with the intention
of providing years of satifaction.how is the hole in the bead formed?
Making the hole in
a bead is relatively easy. In fact, it is harder to make a marble
than a bead and that's because beadmakers can use a long metal
rod as both a handle and mandrel. The metal rod is usually coated
with a heat proof ceramic slip that will keep the glass from
sticking to the rod. A beadmaker will hold
the metal rod in one hand and a glass rod in the other. The tip
of the glass rod is held in a flame long enough to melt the end.
As the glass softens it is wrapped around the metal rods cylindrical
form. The artist continues to hold the molten bead and the glass
rod in and near the flame as the material is built up. The rod makes a very
convienient handle and allows the artist to comfortably maintain
heat control. By carefully spinning the metal rod the molten
bead can be shaped with precise symmetry. The spinning action
causes the molten material to spread evenly around the axis of
the rod.When the bead cools
the rod that helped as both a handle and mandrel is removed and
the bead is left with a very useful hole. I wonder how people
make marbles?
